Describe in brief the soils of Rajasthan.
Answers
The soil and vegetation of the state of Rajasthan varies with its wide-ranging topography of arid plains or parched regions, hilly tracts of the Aravalis, the flood prone plains of Eastern Rajasthan and the oldest range of fold mountains- Aravali Hills.
The type of soil and vegetation vary with the availability of water. Interestingly some evidence testifies that Rajasthan was once filled with lush green vegetation and had numerous streamlets running through the land. But those days have elapsed and presently a major portion of Rajasthan is desiccated. This is due to the continuous soil erosion and the recurrence of droughts. The sandy soil has very less capacity to store water.
The ground water level is very low due to over-exploitation and the limited, erratic rainfall averaging 360mm per year allows the growth of scanty, shrub -like thorny vegetation. Grasses and species like P. cineraria grow in the regions where little water is available. Water level is available only at a depth of 30 to 61m. However food crops are grown in the plains that are drained by the rivers and streamlets owing to the alluvial and clay soil deposits. The hilly tracts of the Aravali are characterized by the black, lava soils that sustain the growth of cotton and sugarcane.
The types of soil available in Rajasthan are mostly sandy, saline, alkaline and chalky. Clay, loamy, black lava soil and nitrogenous soils are also found.